Feeler mechanism for looms



E. A. CUNNIFF FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 27. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i/v I/EN TOR FMMW ATTo'RA/EY 1,649,776 E. A. CUNNIFF FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M/VETORK' ZWa/z.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7 15, 19 27.

UNITED, STATES EDWARD A. ommirr, or WALTHAM', MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T nnarnn COR- PATENT OFFICE.

PORATION, OF HOIPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF. MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOIVIS.

Application filed December 27, 1926. Serial No. 157,151.

This invention relates to filling replenishing looms and is more particularly directed to the feeler mechanisms of such looms; whereby, on substantial exhaustion of filling, the operative condition of the loom 1s chan ed, such, for instance as replenishment of filing.

It is now the ordinary practice to provide filling replenishing looms with feeler mechanisms to efl'ect replenishment of filling upon substantial exhaustion of filling 1n the loom shuttle, and such feeler mechanisms are usually located at the non-replenishing side of the loom. In some cases it isi'desirable to place the feeler mechanism at the re- "plenishing side of the loom and this has heretofore been suggested. In the use of feeler mechanisms of the side slipping type which have lately come into extensive use,

certain problems are presented when such feeler mechanisms are located at the replenishing side of the loom.

The Brown & Repass Patent, No. 1,593,- 426, dated July 20, 1926, shows and'describes a side slipping feeler mechanism which has proven to be delicate and sensitive, both as to the presence and\ substantial absence of filling, and especially is this observable in a weaving with certain kinds or characters of filling. In the Brown & Repass feeler mechanism, the feeler itself normally stands for engagement with the filling at substantially right angles to the axis of the filling carrier or 'shuttle and is held from side slipping movement by engagement therewith, but when fillin is substantially exhausted on a detecting ieat, the feeler readily side slips and through atrain of transmitting mechanism replenishment of filling is called..

40 The feeler mechanism of the Brown & Repass patent :is shown and described as applied to the non-replenishing side of the loom, and one of the objects of the present invention is'a further development of such feeler mechanism whereby it may be applied to the replenishing side of the loom, while.

utilizing the advantages of its sensitive char- .acter both as to the presence and substantial absence of filling in the shuttle.

I The invention, new features thereof and novel combination of arts will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings of one good form thereof. 7

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail with parts a broken away and others omitted for the purposes ofclearness, showing the action of the eeler mechanism at the replenishing sideof the loom when filling is substantially exhaust-ed on a detecting beat; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view but showing the feeler withdrawn from the shuttle at the time of filling replenishment.

The present illustration of the invention includes a train of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when the shuttle is in the replenishing box, but since the detail of such replenishing mechanism forms no essential part of the present invention and is now understood in the art, its, full illustration and description appears unnecessary.

As usual in fillingreplenishing looms, a

hopper or magazine is employed for containing the filling carriers having filling wound thereon, and while such hopper or magazine may be of any usual type, it is herein shown as of the rotary character.

the rear end portion of which is adapte times to be engaged by a hunter 9 carried by the lay 1Q to thereby actuate the transferrer 5 to transfer a fresh filling carrier to the shuttle and eject the denuded filling carrier. The transferrer is normally under the influence of a spring 11 which is shown as coiled about the axis of the transferrer and normally acting to maintain the transferrer in its raised or inoperative position ready for transferring a filling carrier. from the hopper to the shuttle.

The shuttle 12 may be of usual character common in filling replenishing looms, and is provided with the bobbin holding jaws 13. The front wall of the shuttle is provided with an opening 14 which registers with the corresponding opening 15 in the front wall of the shuttle box when the .shuttle is in replenishing position to thereby permit the feeler to feel for filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat. All of these parts thus far described ma be of usual construction and need no furt er explanation.

Mounted u on the loom frame or an extension there rom is the support 16, Fig. 1, which may be appropriately secured to the loom frame by an appropriate pin or threaded bolt 17 and such support has a guideway 18 extending towards the rear of the loom, asmore clearl shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Mounted for slidin movement towards and from the front of t e loom in the guideway 18 is the slide 19 which is normally pressed rearwardl by yielding means such as a spring. 11 the-present instance of the invention the slide 19 is provided with an upwardly extendin abutment or lug 20, in which-is mounte the in 21 which may be secured to the lug 20 y a suitable nut 22. Coiled about the pin 21 is a spring 23, the rear end portion of which bears against the abutment 20 and the front end portion of which bears against the front wall 24 of a cap piece 25 secured by a bolt 26 to the support 16. The pin 21 extends frontwardly and passes through an opening in the front wall of the cap, the result being that the slide 19 is normally held yieldingly in its rearward position and is limited in its rearward position by an adjusting bolt 27 which may be threaded into a laterally projectin arm 28 carried by the slide 19 and adapte when the slide 19 is in its rearward os1tion to bear against the In 29 connecte to the support 16. If desire the horizontal position of the support 16 may be a ropriately adjusted by a threaded b0 t 30, ig. 1, assing through a lug 31 secured to the 00m frame or a part carried thereby, and bearing on the under side of the support 16. The support 16 is normally under the influence of a spring 32 for holding the parts in their ad'usted position.

V ounted upon the slide 19 is a feeler stand 33 which may be held to the slide by suitable means such as the pins or bolts 34, as more clearly indicated'in Figs. 2 and 3.

. mally under the influence of a spring 40, one

The feeler stand 33 carries a non-pivoted floating feeler 35, the rearend portion of which is provided with teeth 36 for engagement with the filling on detecting beats, and

extending laterally from the feeler. is an' arm 37, the end 38 of which is adapted at times to en age a stop or bearing 39 formed on the fee er stand. The feeler 35 is norend of which is connected to a ug 41 on the feele'r stand and the other end of which is connected to the arm 37 at 42, between the feeler 35, the construction being such that the spring normally tends to move the feeler re'arwardl and yet permits it to move frontwardly an partake of its side swipe movement, as will more fully appear from the Brown & Repass patent to which reference has been made.

The feeler stand is provided with a secondstop or hearing 43 against which the feeler 35 rests when the feeder is in its extended feeling position relative to the feeler stand, as indicated in Fig. 3. p

The frontwardly extendin portion of the feeler 35 has a heel 44 whic in connection with the end of the arm 37 acts to guide the feeler inits frontward and rearward movements along the guideways 45, 46 of the feeler stand during weaving with a workin supply of fillin in the shuttle, and the hee 44 is sli htly-o set from the lengthwise axis of the eeler 35 to permit the feeler to side swipe to the extent of the slot or o ening 46 in the feeler stand when the filing is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat. The feeler as herein described may be substantially the same both in construction and mode of o eration as that shown and described in t e Brown & Repasspatent above referred to.

Mounted upon the loom frame or 9. art affixed thereto is a bracket 47, Fig. 1, w 'ch is provided with an upwardly extending slot 48 in which works the end 49 of an actuator 50, which may be of usual and well-known construction.

Extending crosswise of the slot isabracket 51 having a boss 52 rovi'ded with an opening into which exten s a pin 53 connected at 54 to the frontwardly extending arm 55 of a lever 56 pivotally mounted at 57 on a bracket 58 which may be appropriately secured by a bolt 59 to the bracket 47. The

rearwardly extending arm of the lever 56 is connected at 60 to a transmitter 61, the opposite end portion of which is loosely engaged with the feeler 35, as at 62,-t-he' construction being such that should the feeler 35 partake of its side slipping movement, as indicated in Fi 2, the transmitter 61- will be moved latera 1y to thereby rock the lever 56 and interpose the pin 53 into the path of the actuator 50 which thereby acts through a train of mechanism of well-known constructl on to effect replenishment of filling.

In order that the transferrer may operate to transfer a fresh filling carrierfrom the hopper to the shuttle when the feeler itself has. side slipped to call for'replenishment, it becomes necessary to withdraw the feeler from the shuttle to permit the -fresh filling carrier to enter, and as such feeler is withdrawn from the shuttle and conseuently is relieved of the pressure of the fillmg carrier, the springl40 will act upon the feeler to again straig ten it or place it in as at 63, is extended laterally to engage a lug 64; projecting from the slide 19 when the transferrer is. actuated to effect the transfer, a condition which is indicated in Fig. 3.

During weaving with a working supply of filling inthe shuttle, as indicated in Fig. 1, the floating side slipping feeler 35 will enga e the filling in the shuttle at substantia ly right angles thereto and will be moved frontwardly against the action of the spring 40, the teeth of the feeler at such times maintaining the feeler from side slipping movement. As the feeler thus moves frontwardly itslides through the end portion 62 of the transmitter 61, which is shown as not secured to the feeler stand, and on retreat of the lay after a detecting beat up thefeeler will return to its rearward feeling position to again engage the filling on a detecting beat at right angles to the axis of the fillingcarrier. The result of this right angled engagement of the feeler with the filling relieves the filling, even though it be of delicate nature,'from any injurious influences.

When the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, the feeler 35 side slips along the filling carrier in the shuttle into the position indicated in Fig. 2, thereby acting through the transmitter 61 to interpose the pin 53 into the path of the actuator 50, with the result that fillingreplenishment will be called, and as the dog 8 is pushed frontwardly by the hunter 9, the pin 63 will engage the projection 64 on the slide 19 and withdraw the slide and with it the feeler stand and feeler frontwardly to thereby withdraw the feeler from the shuttle to permit the entrance of the fresh filling carrier, as indicated in Fig. 3. As the feeler is thus withdrawn from the shuttle by frontward movement of the feeler stand, the feeler is moved rearwardly on the stand under the influence of the spring 40 and by reason of the fulcrum stops 39 and 43 will assume a position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the fillingcarrier in the shuttle, a position it will maintain as the feeler stand again moves rearwardly on completion of replenishment of filling.

The feeler stand is provided with a cover plate 65 which may be appropriately secured to the feelerstandby means of bolts 34:, as indicated in Fig. 1, and thereby serves to maintain the floating feeler within the feeler stand during its frontward and rearward side slipping movements.

' From the construction described it will be present invention adapts mechanism of the Brown obvious that the the sensitive feeler -ator upon side & Repass patent for use at the replenishing side of the loom, thereby securing the advantages of such feeler mechanism in its association with the filling replenishing shuttle box into which the feeler may extend to feel'for the filling at right angles thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand mounted at the filling replenishing side of the loom, a

floating side slipping feeler non-pivotally mounted for bodily movement on the feeler stand towards and from the front of the loom on detecting beats with a working supply of filling in the shuttle and for side slipping movement longitudinally of the shuttle due to thepressure of-the filling car-' rier when the filling is substantially exhausted, a transmitter connected. to the feeler back of the feeler stand, a lever pivoted between its ends and having one. end connected to the transmitterya pin'extending from the other end of the lever, an actuator into the path ofimovement of which the pin is projected when the feeler side sli s and I by which it is arrested to effect rep enishment of filling and means for withdrawing the floating feeler from *theshuttle on replenishment of filling.

2. In-a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination-of a feeler stand at the replen-v ishing side of the loom, a floating side slip-' ping feeler the feeler stand towards and from the front of the loom and for side slipping movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the front,- ward pressure when the fillin is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, a transmitter connected to the feeler back of the mounted for bodily. movement on feeler stand, a bracket having an upwardly extending slot, an actuator workin in said slot, a lever mounted on the bran et rearward of the slot and having an arm 09nnected to the transmitter, a pin extending from the other arm of the lever, a guide for the pin crossing said slot for directing the.

pin into the path of movement of the actuslipping movement of the feeler, means for holding the feeler stand in a rearward position during weaving with a working supply of filling in the. shuttle,

and means for withdrawing the feeler stand frontwardly on replenishment of filling to withdrawn the floating feeler from the shuttle.

3. In a feeler inechamsm for looms, .the

combination of a feeler stand at the replenishing side of the loom,a floating side slipping feelermounted on thefeeler stand for movement relative .thereto towards and from the front of the loom and in. a direction. longitudinally of the shuttle. and held from side's'lipping movement'on detecting beats by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, means normally pivotally supported between its ends and having a rearwardly extending arm, atrans- I an mitter connected to said arm and to the feeler, a pin carried by the frontwardly extending arm of the lever opposite the slot find adapted to be moved into the side openixfiig of the slot to arrest the actuator and e ect replenishment of filling when the feeler side slips on substantial exhaustion of filling.

4. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of a feeler stand at the replenishing side of the loom, a floating sideslipping feeler supported. upon' the feeler stand for bodily sliding movement thereon directly towards and from the front of the loom on detecting beats with a Working supply of filling in the shuttle and for side slippin r movement thereon due to the frontwar ressu-re when the filling is substantially a racket mounted on the loom frame at the side of the feeler and having a vertical slot. an actuatorworking in said-slot, a lever mounted on the bracket and having an arm opposite the sidevopening of theislot, a pin carried by' said arm, a bracket crossing said slot and havin a guide for directing the movement of -t e pin, a transmitter connected to said lever and to the feeler for projecting the pin into' the side opening of the slot and stopping the actuator when the feeler side slips on substanial exhaustion of, filling.

5.. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of a feeler stand at the replenishing side of the loom, a floating side slipping feeler supported upon the feeler stand for bodily sliding movement thereon directly towards and from the front of the loom on detecting beats with a working supply of filling in the shuttle and for side shppin movement thereon due to the frontwar pressure when the filling is substantially exhausted, an actuator, a transmitter connected to and extending laterally from an intermediate portion of the feeler, a lever connected to the other end of the transmitter and rovided with a pin adapted to be projected into the path of the actuator when the feeler side slips and moves the transmitter laterally, means set in operation b such side slipping movement of the feeler or efi'ectin re lenishment of filling, and means for with awing the floating teeler fromthe shuttle after its side displacement by the frontward pressure to permit replenishment of filling.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificatlon.

E'DWARD'A. CUNNIFF. 

